


Enough

by MidwesternDuchess



Series: Scripted Scenes [2]
Category: Fire Emblem: The Sacred Stones
Genre: a Very Important scene and a turning point in Eirika's character, also I ship Seth and Eirika to the moon and back BYE, and that's not something I say lightly, anyway, one of Sacred Stones' most memorable scenes
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-03-03
Updated: 2018-03-03
Packaged: 2019-03-26 08:29:27
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,599
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13853919
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MidwesternDuchess/pseuds/MidwesternDuchess
Summary: "I told my Soul to sing— / She said her Strings were snapt—” -Emily Dickinson(She thinks she feels it—when the last of her gentleness dies. She draws her sword and its ring drowns out the sound of her breaking heart.)





	Enough

_"_ _Princess Eirika of Renais!"_

Eirika rears away in surprise, one hand plunging down to grasp clumsily at her rapier as the voice echoes across the valley. It sounds at once a thousand feet away and directly beside her, and she quickly turns, trying to place the source, desperately searching the haze that surrounds her—

Seth is at her side in a moment, and Erika gasps as he pushes her behind him, peering over his armored shoulder with wide eyes as a figure—tall, cloaked, half-hidden in the dense fog—suddenly looms above them. His hood casts his face into shadow, but she can hear a dark laugh—

"Accept your fate. You have nowhere to flee!"

Seth takes a step back, forcing more distance between the princess and this dark newcomer, but Eirika pushes against him, unwilling to surrender ground, demanding answers.

 _"_ _What?_ Who are you?" she shouts, voice slightly shrill from her initial shock. "And where—where did you _come_ from?" Her eyes sweep their surroundings, but the fog hangs low and thick around them—she can't see more than a foot in any direction.

"You're as beautiful as I'd heard…and you're even wearing your bracelet." A smile splits his gaunt face beneath his hood, and Eirika reflexively clutches at the piece of jewelry. "I suppose we should begin there. Would you surrender your lovely little trinket?"

She hears Seth suck in a sharp breath, but Eirika is only thrown for another loop.

"My _bracelet?"_ Her eyes flip wide with surprise, then narrow to slits. "Why do you want it?"

The man's cocky grin slides off his face—lip curling at her question. "His Majesty desires it, that's reason enough. Once I present it to him, he will make me a general, and I—Novala—will be famous." Eirika bristles sharply at his flippant delusions of grandeur, but she snaps to attention when he extends a pale, withered hand towards her. "Come, hand it over. Do it quickly, and I'll leave you alive."

Seth stands rigidly at her side, one hand on the pommel of his sword, expression stony and dark. "Princess Eirika," his voice rumbles out of his chest like a storm. "You will do _no_ such thing."

Eirika scoffs, bringing the wrist that bares her bracelet up to her chest protectively, eyes narrowed at the hooded man. "Of course not." The suggestion ludicrous.

Novala sneers at her, moving closer, and Eirika watches as Seth shifts to match him.

"Obedience will save you pain," he growls out, his words utterly chilled. "You came all this way to aid Prince Ephraim, have you not?"

A jolt runs through the princess at the sound of her brother's name— _Ephraim, Ephraim, Ephraim—_ and she rashly attempts to push past Seth, but the Silver Knight sidesteps, blocking her path. He glances sharply over his shoulder, trying to catch her eye, but Eirika's attention is wholly focused on this man who dares to speak against her _brother—_

Novala smirks hideously beneath his hood, thrilled at Eirika's anger. "A fool's errand," he sneers. "Ephraim fell before the Empire's might. As we speak he wastes away in a cell in Renvall, meekly awaiting his execution."

For a horrible moment, Eirika's world goes sideways— _Ephraim? Defeated? Could it be?_

"My brother?" she gasps out. The hand over her heart curls, gripping a fistful of her blouse as her pulse thuds loudly in her ears. She feels Seth's eyes again, but nothing else matters.

She hangs in despair for one moment—the fog seems to close in around her, her breath gets caught in her chest, she suddenly feels so _small—_

Just as quickly, anger surges through her, and she breaks past the protective barrier of Seth's arm, advancing with _fury—_

"You _lie!"_ she shouts, as Seth catches her around the waist, hauling her back as she tries to get a hand on her rapier, rage overtaking her. "A pitiful worm like you could _never_ defeat my brother!"

Seth's voice sounds faint, distant, even though she can feel him right beside her as her speaks to her in low tones, begging for her to keep her head—

Novala backs away—the fog swirls around him as he detaches himself from the scene—and Eirika can just catch a glimpse of his eyes as his hood is jostled—sunken, grey orbs that gleam with malice—

 _"_ _Bah,"_ he scoffs in the face of her temper. "Protest all you like. It does not change the truth. Ephraim has lost, and it was _Grado_ that defeated him!"

Eirika says nothing, willing the heat of her anger to speak for her. Petulantly, she lifts the wrist that bares his desired bracelet, giving it a slight shake to taunt him.

Grado defeated Ephraim. _Impossible._ Eirika cannot believe she doubted her brother even for a moment.

To her surprise, she sees his lips twitch with amusement. "You're not going to acquiesce, are you?" he murmurs, almost to himself. "Very well. Bring me the child."

 _This_ catches the princess off-guard, and her bracelet chimes as she drops the arm to her side in confusion.

"Child…?"

Through the mist that surrounds them, a small figure suddenly appears, thrust forward by someone still masked in the fog, and Eirika gasps as she meets the eyes of a young girl—

Tears stream down the child's face. "H-help me..." she whimpers, and Eirika's temper flares again as Novala sweeps out a hand, drawing the girl up to his side.

"Look familiar?" Eirika knows a taunt when she hears one, and her eyes flicker over to the shaman, gritting her teeth. _Monster._ "She's a citizen of your precious Renais. Now give me the bracelet! Do it, or the child dies!"

Eirika hardly hears him—not over the cries of the young girl who writhes in his pale grasp, eyes shiny with tears as she looks at the princess, _begging_ for her help—

"P-please," the girl pleads, and all of Eirika's righteous fury bows to his cruelty.

"No, please…" she whispers, unable to look away. The white-hot fury that had burned in her heart just a moment ago goes cold, and she lowers her head in acceptance. "You win. But I _must_ have your word the child will suffer no harm."

"Princess, _wait—"_ Seth is in her ear again, trying to pull her away, trying to protect her—

_But then who will protect the child?_

The girl—the simple village girl, who probably would have gone her whole life without ever even _seeing_ Castle Renais—just stares at Eirika, naked fear in her eyes.

Eirika's heart _breaks—_

Her fingers tremble as she grasps blindly for the trinket's clasp. She treasures the bracelet—a gift from her father to herself and her brother, twin bracelets for the twin heirs—but with a child's _life_ at stake let Grado take it, what does she care—?

Seth pulls her back suddenly, shifting to try and place himself between her and Novala, blocking the girl from view as he catches her gaze, expression deadly serious.

"Princess, that bracelet—"

Eirika pushes him aside—hard enough that he moves under her touch. Not because she's stronger than the Silver Knight—but because he knows their roles. And when the Princess orders him to stand aside, he does so without question.

"It isn't worth a child's _life."_ She pulls the bracelet off roughly as Seth reclaims his station at her side. She feels sick with it all—she respects Seth, of _course_ she does, but how can he possibly think some bauble is worth more than the lives of her _people?_ Of _any_ person?

She sees the look of distress and anger on his face and realizes that there is something else at play here—Seth is a man of honor, and the only thing he prioritizes higher than the protection of the innocent is the protection of _her_ —but she's already handing the bracelet over—

"Forgive me, Seth," she murmurs, lowering her eyes.

Novala, meanwhile, snatches the trinket from her hands, and Eirika pulls her hand back at the feel of his cold, damp skin.

"Yes, there can be no mistaking it!" His eyes glitter like shards of glass from within the shadow cast by his hood as another maniac grin splits his gaunt face. He raises his gaze back to princess and retainer.

"Next, your weapons. Take them off and hand them over."

Eirika starts with indignation, one hand falling down on instinct to cover the guard of her rapier—

 _"_ _No."_ There is a dark undercurrent of fury to Seth's tone that elicits a shiver from the princess. The Silver Knight stares the shaman down—crimson eyes narrowed. "Surrendering our weapons would be tantamount to suicide. You demand too much of us."

Novala just cackles at Seth's resistance, and panic begins to slowly take root in Eirika's heart. Her eyes dart to the child's, alarmed at the tight hold the shaman has maintained on her—

"I see years of peace and idleness have not dulled the wits of _all_ Renais' knights," he drawls. "Well then, my hostage has no more use to me, does she? Ah, such a waste."

"We had an agreement—" Eirika begins, the harsh anger in her tone belied by her obvious fear. The girl is staring back at her with wide, frightened eyes.

"Wait a moment…" Novala continues as if she had not spoken, tapping a pale, bony finger to his cheek. "I've just had a _delicious_ idea. Have you heard of the giant spiders prowling about this region? They'd appreciate a nice, hot meal, wouldn't you agree?"

Eirika feels her stomach bottom out—mind going absolutely white with panic.

"You _can't—"_ she chokes out.

Just as suddenly as she'd appeared, the girl is abruptly whisked away into the fog—vanishing from sight. The only sign she'd ever been there at all is the sound of her scream echoing back through the hazy valley.

Eirika cannot look away from the spot where the girl had stood—numb to everything else in the world as her heart beats furiously in her chest, her mouth loose in shock, eyes blown wide—

The man laughs. He _laughs._

Eirika blinks, rearing her head back slightly in stunned surprise as Novala simply _laughs._

"This will be a _delight_ to watch!" he crows. "These fools will _curse_ the day they were born to Renais!"

Seth's hand has drifted up to take hold of her elbow, but Eirika doesn't think she could move her arms if she tried. She feels utterly, _utterly_ helpless.

"Why…why would you…" the words cannot find a handhold on her tongue. Her mind spins and spins and spins, but she simply cannot understand—cannot fathom such a thoughtless act of cruelty. "How can you _do_ such a thing?"

Novala sneers at her question, stepping forward to tower over her. Eirika cannot help but look up into the depths of his hood, where his eyes shine with an unnatural brightness—

"This is **_war!"_** Eirika actually flinches away from the force of his words—his _brutality_. "There are no rules here! In war, you can do anything! _Anything!_ You curs of Renais have _lost!_ Your idiotic ravings mean _nothing—"_

Eirika folds in on herself, just slightly—shoulders bowing under her sudden realization as she drops her head.

It's because it _does_ mean nothing. This man—Novala, this _monster—_ doesn't care about her, or her kingdom, or her people. He'd slaughter ten, twenty—a hundred of her countrymen with a smile stretching his pale face—he'd make the Narube run red with _blood_ if that's what it took.

This _is_ war. _This_ —this cruelty, this violence, this hate, this _ugliness_ —is what war truly is.

Seth is speaking to her again—lowly, urgently, shaking her just slightly when she ignores him.

Novala is laughing shrilly to himself—going on and on about the stupidity of the Kingdom of Renais, how Prince Ephraim will rot in a Grado prison, how he, _Novala,_ will someday reign over the Empire himself—

_"_ _Enough."_

The voice is a flash of steel—a ruthless sword strike. It takes a moment for Eirika to recognize it as her own.

Novala seems similarly shocked, breaking off in surprise. Eirika swallows hard, slowly lifting her gaze to meet his.

"Hold your tongue."

Novala rears away, his nasty delight darkened by confusion. "Wha… _what?"_

Eirika meets his gaze evenly, squaring her shoulders.

"I…we, the people of Renais, have long honored our alliance with the Grado Empire." Eirika isn't certain if she's shaking or her voice is. Perhaps both. Seth still has a grip on her elbow and his touch anchors her.

"And you—you invaded without warning. You ravaged our land. You _killed_ my _father…"_ Hot tears prick at her eyes, but Eirika marshals her resolve—armors herself with her mounting anger as she grits her teeth.

"Even then, I told myself I must not hate Grado or her people—if I gave in to my hate, the bond between our lands would be lost forever. I refused to hate. Instead, I lived for the day our nations would know peace again." Her heart is beating a bruise into her ribcage, and when Seth's fingers curl tighter, she realizes he's not trying to lend her strength—he's holding her back.

"But…if _this_ is Grado's true face…if you could extinguish Renais without pity—without _remorse…"_ The princess' face twinges in the unfamiliar arrangement of a snarl, but it holds fast when she pulls back her lips as the words pour from her like hot ashes.

" _That kindness will be the death of you, you know,"_ Ephraim used to scold. _"Not everything can be resolved with pretty words and thoughtful gestures. War exists for a reason, Eirika. Sometimes it is the only solution."_

Eirika's shaking hands suddenly feel empty without her sword—like her own bones are begging her to draw her blade. "If this is the case, then there is no room in my heart for forgiveness!"

Novala curses, gnashing his teeth. "Impudent girl!" he shouts at her. "Do you expect your words to save your countrymen? They will _not._ Your beloved people will all perish, as will—"

His words die on his tongue as—with a crystalline ring—Eirika draws her blade. The rapier gleams dully in the fog, and Eirika ponders if Novala can see his own shocked, dumbstruck expression in the sword's polished surface.

"I will not stand idle while you threaten my people," Eirika warns. "I will save that girl—and anyone else you have abducted here—and I will take my bracelet _back."_

Novala can only stare, backing off, eyeing her weapon warily.

"I offered you my mercy, Novala," she tells him, her voice wracked with anger and pain and _hate_. She feels like a fever—like she's burning alive. Her blood boils under her skin. "And you threw it back in my face."

She sees a flash out of the corner of her eye and realizes one of the figures hiding in the mist is opening their tome, preparing to cast a spell—

Seth drops her elbow to reach for his sword, but Eirika is already there—her golden cape swinging like a beacon through the fog as she slashes down in one practiced motion—forcing the mage to back off, nearly dropping their tome.

With her movement—or perhaps her new viewpoint, the new anger burning away in her chest—some of the haze surrounding them seems to lift, and Eirika turns to meet Novala's gaze with a cold, deadly stare.

"Now you must suffer my wrath."

**Author's Note:**

> hey! day two! off to a good start!
> 
> so if you don't know what this is, I'm doing a project where I take my favorite scenes from across the Fire Emblem franchise and basically novelize them using the ~~mostly~~ exact dialogue from the game. I took more liberties with this one than I did the last, but like a strong 89% of this is word-for-word from the script. Idk I felt like it needed some tweaking as this is a very serious turning point in Eirika's character.
> 
> this scene is from chapter six of Sacred Stones ~~my favorite game in the series and possibly of all time~~ and stuck with me because this is the first time we see Eirika get truly angry and think about what's happened to her, and wonder if she even has it in her to forgive Grado. you can read the script [here.](http://fireemblem.wikia.com/wiki/Victims_of_War/Script)
> 
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> hope you liked it! Eirika is far and away my favorite FE character, so I hope I did her justice. Come back tomorrow!
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